Basic Steps in creating a static analysis

in ABAQUS CAE
• Start new model
• Create part
• Define material
• Create section
– assign section
• Create Assembly Instance
– Choose independent mesh
• Create analysis step
– (Initial is created automatically for application of B.C.)
• Apply B.C.’s
• Apply Load
• Create mesh
– Seed Instance
– Mesh Instance
– Assign element type (watch for reduced integration)
• Create Job
• Run analysis
– Datacheck
– Submit job
 START NEW
MODEL

• From menu, NEW

MODEL DATABASE >
With STANDARD/
EXPLICIT MODEL
 CREATE PART

• Double click on
PARTS in model tree
• Input unique name
is desired
• Choose
– Modeling space
– Type
– Base feature
• Enter approximate
size
 CREATE PART

• Use sketch tools to

create geometry
– Select rectangle
sketch
– Enter coordinates of
rectangle
coordinates (0,0),
(3,0.2) and then
select done
• Follow prompts at
bottom of screen
– ‘X’ cancels current
prompt
– Arrow takes you
back
– ‘Done’ completes
command
 Input Material
Properties
• Double click on
MATERIALS in
model tree
• Input unique name
if desired
• Select Material type
from the
appropriate drop
down menu
 Input Material
Properties
• Select type
• Input values as
prompted
 Create Section

• Double click on
SECTION in model
tree
• Input unique name
if desired
• On CONTINUE,
input thickness of
section and select
plane strain/stress
 Assign Section

• From ASSIGN on
toolbar, Select
SECTION from drop
down menu
• Input unique name
if desired
• On CONTINUE,
input thickness of
section and select
plane strain/stress
 Assign Section

• Following prompts,
select region by
either selecting
region around the
part or clicking on
the part
• Note that a set is
created and you
have the
opportunity to input
the name
 Create an
assembly
instance
• Expand ASSEMBLY
in model tree and
double click on
INSTANCE
• Select Independent
mesh
 Create
Analysis Step
• Expand STEPS in
model tree and
observe that an
Initial step already
exists. This is for
the B.C.’s to be
applied
• Double click on
STEPS to create a
load step
• Accept the defaults
on pressing
continue
 Apply B.C.’s
(Boundary
Conditions)
• Double click on BCs
in model tree
• Input unique name
if desired
• Select BC type
 Apply B.C.’s
(Boundary
Conditions)
• Follow prompts and
select left edge
• Note a set is being
created. You can
create a unique
name if desired.
• Select ENCASTRE on
continue
 Apply Load

• Double click on
LOADS in model
tree
• Input unique name
if desired
• Select Load type
 Apply Load

• Follow prompts and

select point at top
right corner
• Create a unique
name if desired.
 Create mesh

• From the module

pull down menu,
select MESH
 Create mesh

• The toolbar
switches to the
mesh menu
• From toolbar, select
SEED -> EDGES...
• (use SHIFT key to
make multiple
selections)
 Create mesh

• Select left edge

• Choose ‘By size’ or
‘By number’
• Input sizing controls
• Repeat for all edges
 Create mesh

• After completing
the seed step, from
toolbar, select
MESH ->
INSTANCE...
• Follow prompts
 Assign
element types
• After completing
the mesh step, we
must assign the
element type to the
mesh
• From toolbar, select
MESH -> Element
Type...
• Follow prompts
 Assign
element types
• Select regions to be
assigned the
element type using
the mouse.
 Assign
element types
• Choose
– Standard
– Plane stress
– Linear
• Unselect Reduced
Integration
– Full integration
(2x2) instead of 1
point
 Create Job

• Double click on
JOBS in model tree
• Input a name if
desired. Note that
the generated input
file will have this
name (+ *.inp)
• Accept defaults
 Run Job

• Expand JOBS in
model tree
• Right-click on the
job that was
created in the last
step.
• Select DATA CHECK
to ensure the
model is created
properly
• After successful
check, select
SUBMIT
 Run Job

• After successful
check, select
SUBMIT
• Expand JOBS in
model tree again
• Right-click on the
job that was
created in the last
step.
• Select SUBMIT
• After completing
the job, save the
CAE database.
 On Errors

• If the datacheck reveals errors, open the “jobname.dat” file in the working
directory and look for the problem.
 View results

• To view results,
select the Results
tab.

• Select the
VISUALIZATION
module
 View results

• Load the results

database that you
are interested in
– from the menu bar,
FILE>Open...
– Select the *.ODB
output database file
associated with the
job that you ran.
• Alternately, right-
click on the
completed job and
choose results
• Note that the job is
stored in the default
working directory.
This can be changed
through the menu
command FILE>
SetWorkDirectory...
 View results

• Use the toolbar to

create contour
plots
• The drop down
menus allow you to
select what you
plot and the
component
ADDITIONAL STEPS FOR
FREQUENCY ANALYSIS
Add density
through
general tab
on material
properties
 Analysis
step/Select
frequency
analysis
 Select
number of
eigenvalues
 To see results, From RESULT menu, select
STEP/FRAME, then select frequencies to view
mode shape

“By default, Abaqus/Standard writes the mode shapes

to the output database (.odb) file so that they can be
plotted using the Visualization module. The nodal
displacements for each mode shape are normalized so
that the maximum displacement is unity. Thus, these
results, and the corresponding stresses and strains, are
not physically meaningful: they should be used only for
relative comparisons.”
Results are also available in the job.dat
file
ADDITIONAL STEPS FOR TRANSIENT
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS WITH
SUDDENLY APPLIED LOAD
 Adding
tabular load
• Add an amplitude
defined load step
• Amplitude is
defined prior to
applying the load.
• Assign a name to
the set applying
the load at the
top for future use.
Create a tabular
load time profile
using the
amplitude
feature
 Set-up Dynamic
analysis step
• Set time period and
time increment
• Note the available
solver options in the
“other” tab
“Dynamic analyses usually require many
more increments than static analyses to
complete. As a consequence, the
volume of output from dynamic
analyses can be very large, and you
should control the output requests to
keep the output files to a reasonable
size. In this example you will request
output of the deformed shape to the
output database file at the end of every
fifth increment. There will be 100
increments in the step (0.5/0.005);
therefore, there will be 10 frames of
field output.”
Field Output
request
• Right click on the
Field Out Requests
and select the
Manager...
• Select the dynamic
analysis step “Step-
1” and edit it to
write the nodal
displacements only
every n steps.
example shows 10
but it could be more
or less such as 5 or
20.
 Add history
variable
• Add new history
request for modal
analysis step to write
tip displacements at
every step
• Note that a set LOAD
POINT was created
during the application
of the load
• This action is only
writing one nodal value
but at every time step.
• You can create more
than one history
output
Plot
history
output
SOME HELPFUL THINGS TO KNOW
 General settings
• Abaqus writes all output to the “Working
Directory”. This can be changed from File>Set
Working Directory.
 Files created
File (jobname.*) Purpose
*.sta status file
*.log Log file echos job analysis
progress
*.dat status of input file commands,
identifies input file
errors/warnings, provides
selected output
*.msg solution information from
each step increment,
convergence, etc.
*.odb output database
*.prt set information??
*.com
Displaying
nodes,
elements

• CAE
– View->Part Display Options, pick the Mesh tab, and turn on node and element
labels (or Assembly Display Options)
• Viewer
– Options->Common..., pick the Labels tab, and turn on node and element labels.
BC symbol size
To Change background color:
CAE
View->Graphics Options
Probe Tool for field data
Save History plot data (XYData) and
write to file
Saving average history data